Basketball

Basketball is a very popular sport played with a round, orange ball that bounces, also called a basketball. It was invented in Springfield, Massachusetts by a Canadian professor named Dr. James Naismith. Basketball is popular in the United States and other countries. It is played in the summer Olympic Games. Women's Basketball is the same, but uses a ball that is 1 inch smaller in circumference.

Basketball is played with two teams, with 5 players from each team on the court at one time. The court, where the game is played, is a rectangle shape, and at both end lines there is a goal called a "hoop" in the shape of a basket with the bottom cut out. Players try to score points by "shooting" (throwing) the ball at the hoops at either the end of the court. The players of the opposing team will try to block them from making a goal. However, if you try to block them over the back or through the arms it is considered a foul. A foul, if called on you, lets the opposite team shoot two shots from the free throw line counting one point each. Players must "dribble" (bounce) the ball, and not walk with it; they will throw the ball to others on their own team, but will try not to let the opposing team capture the ball. The team who scores the most points wins. Each shot made through the basket is counted as two points. A shot made from 3-point line gives the team three points.